What's in my pantry? Condiments, Spices & Flavor Boosters

• Olive oil. If you happen to live in LA, Guidi Marcello's in Santa Monica is the best Italian specialty store and has some great olive oil (and Star tomato sauce!) that doesn't cost a fortune. 
• Double concentrated tomato paste. Amazing flavor-enhancer for soups, stews and marinades. You can buy it in a tube and keep it in the fridge. 
• Organic vegetable bouillon. Perfect for a quick soup base, but I also add a teaspoon to the water when I cook pasta, brown rice, quinoa and other grains, and potatoes - it's such a flavor booster. My newly discovered favorite is the "Better Than Bouillon" organic vegetable base. It comes in a little glass jar. You use one teaspoon for one cup ( 8 oz) of water.  
• Unsweetened coconut flakes. Great to sprinkle over cereal, and a subtle sweetener.
• Cinnamon. Another great subtle sweetener to put on cereal, rice-milk or rice-yoghurt.
• Honey or agave nectar. I’m not big on the taste of agave nectar in my morning tea, but it’s good for diabetics and it’s more subtle when used in cooking. Honey happens to give me heartburn, but small doses are ok if you really miss sugar. It’s also great to use a drop of honey when you’re sautéing green vegetables like kale and collard greens, to break off some of the bitter taste.
• Tamari sauce. Tamari does contain soy, but it's wheat-free and is a great alternative to salt. It has a much smoother taste than regular soy sauce and is awesome to use in stir-fries, marinades, sauces, soups, stews and even in mashed potatoes. Sold in many major supermarkets. Get the low-sodium version if you can.